This is where to find recommendations and reviews of military history books (useful for scenario design, and background reading for it) covering the time period from the consolidation of a unified Roman Empire under Augustus in 30 BC through to the final breakup of the unified Roman Church with the schism of 1054 AD.Bachrach, Bernard S Early Carolingian Warfare: Prelude to Empire University of Pennsylvania Press (8 Mar 2011) ISBN-10: 0812221443 ISBN-13: 978-0812221442 A very recent, detailed and scholarly look at the Carolingian army which despite its titles covers the army up to 800. Bahrach demonstrates how truly advanced the Carolingian military was, able to combine numerical superiority with technology and sound strategic planning. Quite rightly he demonstrates how they drew on and benefited from a knowledge of, late Roman military practice.

However this is where I need to sound a note of caution as I think he takes the late Roman military writer Vegetius and references to him in 6th to 8th century texts far too literally. Its been fairly well established by military historians for some time that Vegetius in his influential “Epitoma rei militaris “was setting out his own ideas on how things should be done and his views (we now know in some cases not that well informed) on where things had gone wrong with the Late Roman Army, rather than talking about the way things were actually done at the time. In doing so he often harks back to the “good old days” of the Principate. Also while he acknowledges it, I don’t think he has taken enough account of the convention in historical writing prevalent at this time of describing current events in classical terms because demonstrating “you knew all about all that cool classical stuff” was more important than giving an accurate factual description. For a detailed description of this phenomena see chapter 1 of “Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West 450-900” by Guy Halsall.Therefore while I think what he has to say in this and other works about the Franks making much more use of cavalry in the shock role much earlier than others have suggested is entirely correct, I simply don’t buy his ideas about Frankish infantry relying on short Roman style stabbing swords. In my view Its far more likely that it would have been actual late Roman military practice (see Warfare in Roman Europe AD 350-425 by Hugh Elton) that would have been in use with Frankish foot at Tours and other battles forming a shield wall of close order spearmen who would have only resorted to any hand weapons they carried after their thrusting spears broke.Elton , Hugh Warfare in Roman Europe AD 350-425Clarendon Press; New Ed edition (23 Oct 1997) ISBN-10: 0198152418 ISBN-13: 978-0198152415 This book argues that the crisis of the Late Empire was not a military one, ie the army did not have structural faults that explain the fall of the empire. He also thinks that the much vaunted barbarianization of the army did not happen and was not responsible for the Empires fall, which was more down to the absence of dynastic stability and the losses to military manpower and the tax base caused by civil wars and military defeats. A good introduction to the late Roman Army.Haldon, John F. The Byzantine Wars The History Press (29 Aug 2008) ISBN-10: 0752445650 ISBN-13: 978-0752445656 This short book gives a strategic, operational, and tactical overview of the Byzantine army in action. The first campaign studied is Dara (530 AD) ; the last is Myriokephalon (1176 AD). There is an easy to follow description of the Yarmuk campaign against the Arabs. Several battles against the Bulgars are also clearly described. About half the battles discussed are Byzantine defeats. This book, short as it is, goes a long way toward filling a gap in Byzantine studies. A good general introduction to the subject, if you need more details they are available in his much more extensive “Warfare, State and Society in the Byzantine World” details of which I will ad to this section later. Halsall, Guy Warfare and Society in the Barbarian West 450-900 Routledge; 1 edition (15 May 2003) ISBN-10: 0415239400 ISBN-13: 978-0415239400 Excellent primer on its subject. Starts with a good introduction on the state of thought re: military history. Some great insights on the early (migration) period, due to the successful use of archaeological data. Good at explaining how in many cultures (probably including the Angle Saxon) noble and full time warriors should be seen not as either infantry (e.g. Saxon) or cavalry (e.g. Franks) but as multi role warriors, the equivalent of the late medieval knight equally at home on foot stiffening the infantry hefting close quarter weapons or mounting up as fully fledged cavalry and charging home over open terrain, if it was available and the tactical situation warranted it. So yes you can really have your cake and eat it and have your huscarls stand in the shield wall at Hastings or set aside their great axes for sword, light spear & shield, (although probably not lance) saddle up and charge home against the Viking shield wall at Stanford Bridge.Heath, Ian Armies of the Dark Ages 600 1066 Wargames Research Group 2nd Edition (1980) ASIN: B002A5503K Another fine single volume source by Ian Heath from the Wargames research group. Still available on Amazon for a reasonable price. Strong points are details of army organization and the correct names for various types of troops. One to place (carefully in my case as I have had my copy for over 30 years) under the scanner and subject to OCR scanning to get that authentic feel for your battlegroup and leader names.Marren , Peter Battles of the Dark AgesPen & Sword Military (20 July 2006) ISBN-10: 1844152707 ISBN-13: 978-1844152704 This is a readable and detailed account of warfare in Britain in the period using the best information at hand to analyse the battles and locations. Peter Marren draws on a variety of resources, both contemporary and modern, and offers good reference material for those studying the subject. For more battle specific information the author draws heavily on the work of early medieval historian and wargamer Guy Halsall, but is clear about where he is doing this and where he is expressing a different and contrary point of view.The book is particularly good on the Anglo Saxon wars against the Vikings from the 8th Century onwards. Marren also lines up on the same side as Halsall in the great unresolved (and probably un-resolvable) Anglo Saxon cavalry debate, making a clear case for the use of mounted troops on the battlefield by the Saxons at lease down to the early 10th Century.It’s the main source (along with Guy Halsall’s articles in Miniature Wargames) for my Brunanburh and Degsastan scenarios.Nicolle, David Poitiers AD 732: Charles Martel turns the Islamic tide Osprey Publishing; illustrated edition (10 Feb 2008) ISBN-10: 184603230X ISBN-13: 978-1846032301 This book covers the events leading up to the Battle of Poitiers as well as the battle itself. There are some very good terrain layouts of the battle and suggested deployments both of which I have drawn on for my scenario of the battle.